5g avoidance during lte-based real-time communications

ABSTRACT

A radio access network (RAN) configured to support real-time communications over a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) connection is described herein. When a request for a data transmission is received and a real-time communication session over the LTE connection is established, the RAN utilizes the LTE connection, not a New Radio (NR) connection, for the data transmission. When a request for a further real-time communication is received and there is an active data transmission session over the NR connection, the RAN performs at least one of ceasing to allocate traffic to the NR connection for downlink or reconfiguring the data transmission session to send data over the LTE connection.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure is a continuation of and claims priority under 35U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/559,150 filed Dec.22, 2021, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/696,375 filed Nov. 26,2019 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,212,859 on Dec. 28, 2021, the entiredisclosure of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference intheir entirety.

BACKGROUND

Concurrent transmission of voice, video, or other real-timecommunications along with control messaging, such as radio resourcecontrol (RRC) reconfiguration messages can negatively impact the qualityof the voice, video, or other real-time communications. When a radioaccess network (RAN) provides, for example, voice or video services overa Long-Term Evolution (LTE) connection and provides data transmissionseparately over a New Radio (NR) connection, the characteristics of NRconnections may lead to increased RRC reconfiguration messaging.Networks offering LTE connections are often referred to as fourthgeneration (4G) networks, and network offering NR connections are oftenreferred to as fifth generation (5G) networks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanyingfigures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference numberidentifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. Theuse of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similaror identical items or features.

FIGS. 1 a-1 b illustrate an example overview of a RAN configured toavoid impact of control messaging on real-time communications.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of an example process for handling arequest for a data transmission received during an established real-timecommunication session.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of one example process for handling arequest for a real-time communication received while a data transmissionsession is active.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of another example process for handlinga request for a real-time communication received while a datatransmission session is active.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example architecture of a computing device of aRAN.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

When a RAN receives a request for a data transmission and a real-timecommunication session over an LTE connection is already established, theRAN utilizes the LTE connection, not a NR connection, for the datatransmission. Additionally, when a request for a further real-timecommunication is received and there is an active data transmissionsession over the NR connection, the RAN may cease allocating traffic tothe NR connection for downlink. Also, or instead, the RAN mayreconfigure the data transmission session to send data over the LTEconnection.

In various implementations, the RAN may perform a series of operationsresponsive to receiving a request for a data transmission session.First, upon receiving the request for a data transmission session, theRAN may determine if A) a real-time communication session is establishedand B) a NR connection between the RAN and the request-making userequipment (UE) is absent or idle. If the answer to A) and B) is “yes,”the RAN may utilize a LTE connection between the RAN and UE to supportthe data transmission session. If the answer to either A) or B) is “no”,the RAN may utilize the NR connection to support the data transmissionsession.

The RAN may also be configured to take one of two different approachesto handling a request for a real-time communication. Under a firstapproach, upon receiving a request for a real-time communicationsession, the RAN may determine if a data transmission session over a NRconnection is active. If the data transmission session over the NRconnection is active, the RAN may cease allocating traffic to the NRconnection for downlink and, following that, may establish the real-timecommunication session over a LTE connection. As a result of ceasing toallocate traffic to the NR connection, the NR connection will eventuallybe released. Alternatively, before that release happens, the RAN mayreconfigure the data transmission session to utilize the LTE connection.Further, in some implementations, after determining that the datatransmission session is active, the RAN may determine if a datatransmission buffer size is less than a threshold. If less than thethreshold, the RAN may perform the ceasing, as described above. If thedata transmission buffer size meets or exceeds the threshold, the RANmay instead reconfigure the data transmission session to utilize the LTEconnection.

Under a second of the two different approaches, upon receiving therequest for a real-time communication session, the RAN may determine ifa data transmission session over a NR connection is active. If the datatransmission session over the NR connection is active, the RAN mayreconfigure the data transmission session to utilize a LTE connectionand, following that, may establish the real-time communication sessionover the LTE connection.

Overview

FIGS. 1 a-1 b illustrate an example overview of a RAN configured toavoid impact of control messaging on real-time communications. Asillustrated in FIG. 1 a , a RAN 102 may have both a NR connection 104and a LTE connection 106 with a UE 108. The NR connection 104 may beused for data transmissions 110, and the LTE connection 106 may be usedfor real-time communications 112, as well as control messaging 114. Theuse of the NR connection 104 for the data transmissions 110 results in avolume of control messaging 114 that impacts the quality of thereal-time communications 112. In FIG. 1B, data transmissions 110 areswitched to the LTE connection 106 when real-time communications 112 areestablished, resulting in a reduced volume of control messaging 114.

In various implementations, the RAN 102 may be one of a number oflocalized access networks of a telecommunication network, thetelecommunication network providing connectivity to UEs, such as UEssubscribing to the telecommunication network and visiting UEs, both forcommunications and for data publishing and consumption. Suchcommunications may include voice calling, video calling, text messaging,multimedia messaging, conferencing, etc. Data publishing and consumptionmay include streaming of video, voice, images, etc., browsing of networkcontent, participation in social media, participation in online games,etc. UE 108 may connect to RAN 102, which in turn may connect to aremote UE, computing device, or service via the telecommunicationnetwork and, in some examples, one or more other networks.

In addition to the RAN 102, the telecommunication network may include acore network and one or more other RANs. Example access networks mayutilize any Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Standard 3G, 4G,5G, etc. technology or other 3G, 4G, 5G, etc. technology. Alternativelyor additionally, example access networks may include unlicensed wirelessnetworks, such as WiFi® or WiMax® networks, and/or wired accessnetworks. An example core network may be a packet-based network and maysupport legacy, circuit-switched connections. The core network may alsoinclude 3GPP Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)technology in support of packet-based communications. Such 3GPP IMStechnology may support communications made using the Session InitiationProtocol (SIP).

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 a-1 b , the RAN 102 may include a cell tower;one or more base station units coupled to the cell tower, offeringconnectivity to cell areas of varying sizes, and using varioustechnology types; one or more power sources; and mechanisms forconnecting the base station unit(s) to the core network.

For example, the RAN 102 may include at least an eNode B (eNB) basestation for supporting the LTE connection 106 and a gNode B (gNB) basestation for supporting the NR connection 104. The eNB and gNB may beimplemented in a single computing device or through multiple computingdevices and may represent an ENDC (E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS (UniversalMobile Telecommunications Service) Terrestrial Radio Access Network) NewRadio-Dual Connectivity) solution. The ENDC solution enables the UE 108to connect to the eNB through the LTE connection 106, with the eNBserving as a master node, and to the gNB through the NR connection 104,with the gNB serving as a secondary node. ENDC solutions are specifiedin greater detail by 3GPP standards.

Each base station may also include a scheduler to allocate channels offrequency bands or time slots for frequency bands, as well as a PDCP(Packet Data Convergence Protocol) flow controller. Further, thecomputing device implementing the gNB may include at least a NRtransceiver to support the NR connection 104, and the computing deviceimplementing the eNB may include at least a LTE transceiver to supportthe LTE connection 106. An example computing device configured toimplement a eNB and gNB of the RAN 102 is illustrated in FIG. 5 anddescribed further herein with reference to that figure.

In various implementations, the UE 108 may be any sort of wirelesscommunication device, such as a cellular handset, a tablet computer, apersonal computer, a desktop computing device, a media player, etc. TheUE 108 may include one or more radios for wireless communication and/orwired port(s), may include both input and output components, and mayhave a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or other technology thatsecurely stores identity information for the UE 108. In a single radioimplementation, the radio may be capable of communicating with both theeNB and gNB of the RAN 102 through the LTE connection 106 and the NRconnection 104, respectively. In dual radio implementations, one radioof the UE 108 may be used to communicate with the gNB over the NRconnection 104, and the other radio of the UE 108 may be used tocommunicate with the eNB over the LTE connection 106. Via the radio(s),its platform, and one or more applications, the UE 108 may engage indata transmissions 110, real-time communications 112, and controlmessaging 114.

In some implementations, the LTE connection 106 may involve multiplefrequency bands and multiple bearers, with separate bearers forreal-time communications 112 and for data transmissions (such as, e.g.,data transmissions 110, as shown in FIG. 1B). Control messaging 114 maybe transmitted using either bearer. While the NR connection 104 couldsimilarly support multiple bearers, NR connections, such as NRconnection 104, are often used only for data transmissions, such as datatransmission 110. This limited use reflects the characteristicsassociated with the spectrum utilized for NR connections, such asshorter range and greater susceptibility to interference.

As noted herein, the data transmission 110 may be part of any datatransmission session and may involve any one or more of streaming ofvideo, voice, images, etc., browsing of network content, participationin social media, or participation in online games, among others. Thereal-time communications 112 may be part of any data service, such asvoice over LTE (VoLTE) or video over LTE (ViLTE). Control messaging 114,as mentioned, may include RRC reconfiguration messages for establishingor releasing the radio bearer for the NR connection 104.

In various implementations, as illustrated in FIG. 1 a , the use of theNR connection 104 for data transmission 110 results in a higher volumeof control messaging 114. The higher volume of control messaging 114 mayreflect difficulties that the UE 108 experiences with the NR connection104, such as frequent loss of connectivity, packet loss, etc. Responsiveto these conditions, the UE 108 may send control messages 114, such asRRC reconfiguration messages, via the LTE connection 106 requesting thatthe RAN 102 establish or release the bearer corresponding to the NRconnection 104. These control messages 114 in turn impact the quality ofthe real-time communication 112 supported by the LTE connection 106

FIG. 1B, in contrast, illustrates a RAN 102 configured to reduce thecontrol messaging 114 transmitted over the LTE connection 106 duringreal-time communications 112. To reduce the control messaging 224, theRAN 102 utilizes the LTE connection 106 for the data transmission 110.The RAN 102 utilizes the LTE connection 106 to service new requests fordata transmission that are received when a real-time communication 112is established. And when a data transmission 110 over the NR connection104 is active and a request for real-time communication 112 is received,the RAN 102 performs at least one of ceasing to allocate traffic todownlink for the NR connection 104 or reconfiguring the datatransmission 110 to utilize the LTE connection 106.

For example, upon receiving a data transmission request from a UE 108,the RAN 102 may first determine if A) a real-time communication 112 iscurrently established and B) the NR connection 104 is absent or idle. Ifthe answer to A) and B) is “yes,” the RAN 102 may utilize the LTEconnection 106 to support the data transmission 110. This may involveestablishing a data bearer for the LTE connection 106 or utilizing anexisting bearer. If the answer to either A) or B) is “no”, the RAN 102may utilize the NR connection 104 to support the data transmission 110.

Further, upon receiving a real-time communication request from the UE108, the RAN 102 may determine if a data transmission 110 over the NRconnection 110 is active. If the data transmission 110 over the NRconnection 104 is active, a PDCP flow controller of the RAN 102 maycease allocating traffic to the NR connection 104 for downlink and,following that, the RAN 102 may establish the real-time communication112 over the LTE connection 106. As a result of ceasing to allocatetraffic to the NR connection 104, the NR connection 104 will eventuallybe released by the RAN 102. Alternatively, before that release happens,the RAN 102 may reconfigure the data transmission 110 to utilize the LTEconnection 106. Further, in some implementations, after determining thatthe data transmission 110 is active, the RAN 102 may determine if a datatransmission buffer size is less than a threshold. If less than thethreshold, the RAN 102 may perform the ceasing, as described above. Ifthe data transmission buffer size meets or exceeds the threshold, theRAN 102 may instead reconfigure the data transmission 110 to utilize theLTE connection 106. While reconfiguring the data transmission 110 toutilize the LTE connection 106 may involve control messaging 114, theresult of the change—data transmission 110 over the LTE connection106—will mean a lower overall volume of control messaging, as the NRconnection 104 will no longer be supporting the data transmission 110.

Alternatively, upon receiving a request for a real-time communication112 from the UE 108, the RAN 102 may determine if a data transmission110 over a NR connection is active and, if active, the RAN mayreconfigure the data transmission 110 to utilize the LTE connection 106.This reconfiguration may happen right after making the determination toensure a minimum of control messaging 114. Following that, the RAN 102may establish the real-time communication 112 over the LTE connection106.

Example Operations

FIGS. 2-4 illustrate example processes. These processes are illustratedas logical flow graphs, each operation of which represents a sequence ofoperations that can be implemented in hardware, software, or acombination thereof. In the context of software, the operationsrepresent computer-executable instructions stored on one or morecomputer-readable storage media that, when executed by one or moreprocessors, perform the recited operations. Generally,computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, and the like that perform particularfunctions or implement particular abstract data types. The order inwhich the operations are described is not intended to be construed as alimitation, and any number of the described operations can be combinedin any order and/or in parallel to implement the processes.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of an example process for handling arequest for a data transmission received during an established real-timecommunication session. As illustrated at 202, a RAN may receive arequest for a data transmission session from, e.g., a UE.

At 204, the RAN may determine whether a real-time communication sessionis established, and at 206, the RAN may further determine whether a NRconnection is absent or idle. In some examples, the real-timecommunication session is one of a VoLTE communication session or a ViLTEcommunication session and is supported by an LTE connection.

At 208, when the real-time communication session is established and theNR connection is absent or idle, the RAN may utilize an LTE connectionto service the request. Alternatively, at 210, when the real-timecommunication session is not established or the NR connection is active,the RAN may utilize the NR connection to service the request orestablish the NR connection to service the request.

At 212, following completion of the real-time communication session, theRAN may reconfigure the data transmission session to utilize the NRconnection or may continue to utilize the LTE connection for the datatransmission session.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of one example process for handling arequest for a real-time communication received while a data transmissionsession is active. As illustrated, at 302, a RAN may receive a requestto for a real-time communication session from, e.g., a UE.

At 304, upon receiving the request, the RAN may determine whether a datatransmission session over the NR connection is active. If active, theRAN may proceed to further determine, at 306, whether a datatransmission buffer size is less than a threshold. If the datatransmission buffer size is less than a threshold, the RAN ceases, at308, to allocate traffic to the NR connection for downlink. At 310,after performing the ceasing for a threshold amount of time, the RANreleases the NR connection.

At 312, if the data transmission buffer size meets or exceeds athreshold, the RAN reconfigures the data transmission session to senddata over the LTE connection. In some examples, the reconfiguring at 312may also be performed following the ceasing at 308.

At 314, the RAN may establish the real-time communication session afterperforming the reconfiguring at 312 or after the ceasing at 308. Also,when the RAN determines at 304 that the data transmission session overthe NR connection is not active, the RAN may proceed to establish thereal-time communication session at 314.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of another example process for handlinga request for a real-time communication received while a datatransmission session is active. As illustrated, at 402, a RAN mayreceive a request to for a real-time communication session from, e.g., aUE.

At 404, upon receiving the request, the RAN may determine whether a datatransmission session over the NR connection is active.

At 406, upon determining that the data transmission session over the NRconnection is active, the RAN may reconfigure the data transmissionsession to send data over the LTE connection. Such reconfiguration mayhappen a single time upon completion of the determining at 404. Further,at 408, after reconfiguring the data transmission session to send dataover the LTE connection, the RAN may release the NR connection.

At 410, the RAN may establish the real-time communication session afterperforming the reconfiguring. Also, when the RAN determines at 404 thatthe data transmission session over the NR connection is not active, theRAN may proceed to establish the real-time communication session at 410.

Example Architecture

FIG. 5 illustrates an example architecture of a computing device of aRAN. The RAN may be an example of a RAN 102, which is described furtherherein. The computing device 500 can have a system memory 502. Thesystem memory 302 can store a scheduler 504, a PDCP flow controller 506,threshold and/or configuration 508, and/or other modules and data 510.The computing device 500 can also include processor(s) 512, removablestorage 514, non-removable storage 516, input device(s) 518, outputdevice(s) 520, an NR transceiver 522, and an LTE transceiver 524.

In various examples, system memory 502 can be volatile (such asrandom-access memory (RAM)), non-volatile (such as read-only memory(ROM), flash memory, etc.), or some combination of the two. Examplesystem memory 502 can include one or more of RAM, ROM, electronicallyerasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), a Flash Memory, a hard drive, amemory card, an optical storage, a magnetic cassette, a magnetic tape, amagnetic disk storage or another magnetic storage devices, or any othermedium.

Examples of the scheduler 504, the PDCP flow controller 506, and thethreshold and/or configuration 508 are described above in detail withreference to FIG. 1 . As noted, these components may be involved inallocating data, allocating time slots, establishing and releasing radiobearers, among other functions.

The other modules and data 510 can be utilized by the computing device500 to perform or enable performing any action taken by the computingdevice 500. The other modules and data 510 can include a platform andapplications, and data utilized by the platform and applications.

In some embodiments, the processor(s) 512 can be a central processingunit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), both CPU and GPU, or otherprocessing unit or component known in the art.

The computing device 500 can also include additional data storagedevices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magneticdisks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated inFIG. 5 by removable storage 514 and non-removable storage 516.Non-transitory computer-readable media may include volatile andnonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any methodor technology for storage of information, such as computer readableinstructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Systemmemory 502, removable storage 514 and non-removable storage 516 are allexamples of non-transitory computer-readable media. Non-transitorycomputer-readable media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM,EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, compact disc-ROM(CD-ROM), digital versatile discs (DVD) or other optical storage,magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to storethe desired information and which can be accessed by the computingdevice 500. Any such computer-readable storage media can be part of thecomputing device 500. In various examples, any or all of system memory502, removable storage 514, and non-removable storage 516, storeprogramming instructions which, when executed, implement some or all ofthe above-described operations of the computing device 500.

In some examples, the computing device 500 can also have input device(s)518, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touch-sensitive display, voice inputdevice, etc., and/or output device(s) 520 such as a display, speakers, aprinter, etc. These devices are well known in the art and need not bediscussed at length here.

The computing device 500 can also include one or more transceiver, suchas the NR transceiver 522 and the LTE transceiver 524 to facilitatecommunication with other devices, such as one or more UEs.

CONCLUSION

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter is not necessarily limited to the specificfeatures or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and actsdescribed above are disclosed as example embodiments.

1. A radio access network, comprising: a processor; a Long-TermEvolution (LTE) transceiver coupled to the processor and configured tosend and receive at least real-time communications and datatransmissions; a new radio (NR) transceiver coupled to the Processor™and configured to send and receive at least data transmissions; andmemory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, whenexecuted by the processor, cause the radio access network to performoperations comprising: receiving a request for a real-time communicationsession; upon receiving the request, determining whether a datatransmission session over an NR connection is active; and when the datatransmission session over the NR connection is active, reconfiguring thedata transmission session to send data over an LTE connection.
 2. Theradio access network of claim 1, wherein the operations further compriseutilizing the LTE connection to service the request for the real-timecommunication session.
 3. The radio access network of claim 1, whereinthe real-time communication session is one of a voice over Long-TermEvolution (VoLTE) communication session or a video over Long-TermEvolution (ViLTE) communication session.
 4. The radio access network ofclaim 1, wherein the operations further comprise reconfiguring the datatransmission session to send data over the NR connection aftercompletion of the real-time communication session.
 5. The radio accessnetwork of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise establishingthe real-time communication session after reconfiguring the datatransmission session to send data over the LTE connection.
 6. The radioaccess network of claim 1, wherein the operations further compriseutilizing the NR connection to service the request for the real-timecommunication session.
 7. The radio access network of claim 1, whereinthe operations further comprise, when the data transmission session isnot active over the NR connection, utilizing the NR connection toservice the request for the real-time communication session.
 8. A methodcomprising: receiving, by a radio access network (RAN), a request for areal-time communication session; upon receiving the request,determining, by the RAN, whether a data transmission session over a newradio (NR) connection is active; and when the data transmission sessionover the NR connection is active, reconfiguring, by the RAN, the datatransmission session to send data over a Long-Term Evolution (LTE)connection.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the real-timecommunication session is one of a voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE)communication session or a video over Long-Term Evolution (ViLTE)communication session.
 10. The method of claim 8, further comprisingutilizing the NR connection to service the request for the real-timecommunication session.
 11. The method of claim 8, further comprisingreconfiguring the data transmission session to send data over the NRconnection after completion of the real-time communication session. 12.The method of claim 11, further comprising utilizing the LTE connectionto service the request for the real-time communication session.
 13. Themethod of claim 8, further comprising ceasing to allocate traffic to theNR connection for downlink.
 14. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising, when the data transmission session over the NR connection isnot active, utilizing the NR connection to service the request for thereal-time communication session.
 15. A non-transitory computer-readablemedium having programming instructions stored thereon that, whenexecuted by a computing device of a radio access network cause the radioaccess network to perform operations comprising: receiving, by a radioaccess network (RAN), a request to for a real-time communicationsession; upon receiving the request, determining, by the RAN, whether adata transmission session over a new radio (NR) connection is active;and when the data transmission session over the NR connection is active,reconfiguring, by the RAN, the data transmission session to send dataover a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) connection.
 16. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations furthercomprise, when the data transmission session over the NR connection isnot active, utilizing the NR connection to service the request for thereal-time communication session.
 17. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations furthercomprise utilizing the LTE connection to service the request for thereal-time communication session.
 18. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations furthercomprise reconfiguring the data transmission session to send data overthe NR connection after completion of the real-time communicationsession.
 19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15,wherein the operations further comprise utilizing the NR connection toservice the request for the real-time communication session.
 20. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein theoperations further comprise releasing the NR connection and establishingthe real-time communication session.